Osama bin Laden has warned Barack Obama, the US president, that there will be further attacks on the United States unless he takes steps to resolve the Palestinian situation.

In an audio tape obtained by Al Jazeera on Sunday, the al-Qaeda chief, praised the Nigerian accused of a failed attempt to blow up an airliner heading for Detroit on Christmas Day.

“The message I want to convey to you through the plane of the hero Umar Farouk [Abdulmutallab], reaffirms a previous message that the heroes of 9/11 conveyed to you,” Bin Laden said. “America will never dream of living in peace unless we live it in Palestine. It is unfair that you enjoy a safe life while our brothers in Gaza suffer greatly. Therefore, with God’s will, our attacks on you will continue as long as you continue to support Israel.”

The speaker said to be Bin Laden added that “If it was possible to carry our messages to you by words we wouldn’t have carried them to you by planes.Therefore, with God’s will, our attacks on you will continue as long as you continue to support Israel”

The Obama administration said intelligence analysts had not confirmed that the al-Qaeda leader’s voice was the one on the tape. But it quickly dismissed its significance.

David Axelrod, a senior Obama adviser, told CNN’s State of the Union programme that “assuming that it is him, his message contains the same hollow justifications for the mass slaughters of innocents that we’ve heard before”.

“And the irony is that he’s killed more Muslims than people from any other religion – he’s a murderer,” Axelrod added.
ZANIS/Al Jazeera

MMD spokesperson Dora Siliya has said the party’s chairperson for finance Ng’andu Magande risks disciplinary action if it is established that he has prematurely started campaigning for the party presidency through the placing of advertisements on some community radio stations round the country.

And MMD Copperbelt Province chairperson Joseph Chilambwe has advised Mr Magande to immediately withdraw his campaign advertisement on the Kitwe based Catholic owned Radio Icengelo because it was premature to do so.

In an interview yesterday, Ms Siliya said Mr Magande was a senior member of the ruling party who understood the party constitution and the need not to be involved in activities which violate the party’s constitution.

“We have just received reports alleging that Mr Magande is involved in campaign activities and if the reports alleging that he has placed advertisements to call on delegates to vote for him at the national convention are true, the party’s disciplinary committee will deal with him according to the laid down procedures,” she said.[quote]

She said the MMD national chairperson’s message was clear that no one was allowed to campaign for any position at the forthcoming MMD convention until they were authorised to do.

Ms Siliya said a special NEC committee that had been tasked with the preparation for the national convention had not completed its work and it was premature for any official or NEC member to get involved in any kind of campaign.

Mr Chilambwe said Mr Magande should desist from the habit of playing hide and seek with the MMD leadership by engaging in campaign activities using the back door.

An advertisement playing on Radio Icengelo, which broadcasts to the entire Copperbelt is calling on the delegates to the forthcoming MMD convention, especially the youths to vote for Mr Magande as the party president.

The advertisement, which is in form of a song, also promises youths employment opportunities once they voted for Mr Magande.

[Times of Zambia]

Kapiri Mposhi traditional rulers have passed a vote of no confidence on area Member of Parliament and Community Development Deputy Minister Friday Malwa for failing to effectively represent the electorates.

The traditional rulers who included headman Mwanja, Headman Kantumoya and headman Mwanawakabwata accused the MP of inefficiency and failure to visit the constituency since he was elected in 2006.

The traditional rulers said this at a meeting addressed by Central province minister Ackimson Banda yesterday.

‘Go and tell president Banda that we do not want Malwa here and also tell him, Malwa, that we have rejected him.

They said they loved the party MMD and would continue voting for the ruling party even if nobody went there to campaign but were only disappointed with the kind of political leaders representing them because they allegedly failed to tick.

In defence of the MMD MP, Mr. Banda said it would be unfair for the people of chief Chipepo to accuse Mr. Malwa who is also Community Development Deputy Minister of having failed them because the his constituency was so vast that he could not manage to reach all corners within a short time.[quote]

Mr Banda further said that government would reduce Kapiri Mposhi constituencies to make it manageable.

He told the traditional rulers who included senior headman Mbofwana and headman Mwanja that they should remove the notion that they did not want Mr. Malwa because he would visit them as well.

And Mr. Malwa said it was not true that he had neglected the electorate in his constituency. Speaking to ZANIS in a separate interview in Kabwe, Mr. Malwa said he was on the ground to ensure that people’s expectations were met.

He explained that he had been to the constituency six times this month adding that there were works to show that development was being delivered to the area.

Mr. Malwa said Ngabwe road, which passes through Mpunde, was being worked on and already 17km had been done while Chipepo boarding school was under construction at a cost of K23 Billion and more boreholes for
safe water would be drilled.

‘I have not abandoned the people of my constituency, am with them and I will ensure that through government, they receive the much desired development.

” We have also completed a clinic at mumba chaala where we are waiting for the ministry of health to send staff and it will open soon,’ he said.

ZANIS

National Constitution Conference Spokesperson Mwangala Zaloumis has advised government to make education a universal right for all citizens since the NCC has adopted a clause for aspiring presidential candidates to have a degree.

Mrs. Zaloumis noted that the position of president needs someone who can articulate issues on a higher level adding that the clause is an encouragement for people aspiring for presidency to work hard.

She observed that things have slowly changed in the world hence the need for leaders in higher offices to be enlightened.

Mrs. Zaloumis was speaking when she featured on ‘Let the people talk’ programme on radio Phoenix today together with newly appointed MMD spokesperson Dora Siliya and opposition PF spokesperson Given Lubinda.

Mrs. Zaloumis said the clause is not meant to discriminate against the poor or to hinder opposition PF leader Michael Sata as seen by sections of society.

She said the fact that Mr Sata has a degree is encouraging adding that the opposition leader has not been just sitting but studying in readiness to contest for the republican presidency.

And MMD spokesperson Siliya said the 50 plus one advocates should realise that the clause is a recipe for anarchy in many countries where it has been practice.

Ms Siliya said if the people of Zambia says the referendum is costly for the nation, they should also realise how expensive it would be for the nation to go for a re – election in a case where the contestants fail to reach 50+ 1 per cent mark.

She however disclosed that it was the opposition MPs attending the NCC who pushed for the degree clause to be enshrined in the constitution.

And FP Spokesperson Given Lubinda said that his party will not rescind its decision on the NCC and will not fall pray to the ruling party’s strategy to destabilize the pact through some article of the NCC.

Mr Lubinda however said MMD should be ready to apologize to the people of Zambia should the constitution be a waist of taxpayers’ money in the end.

ZANIS

Ndola residents have received the first degree requirement for a presidential candidate with mixed feelings.

In an interview with ZANIS in Ndola today some residents were against the requirement saying that it was discriminatory while others felt it was necessary to have an educated leader.

Robert Mbewe said the requirement was necessary because modern politics and economic dynamics needed a leader whose mind was of a certain academic appreciation to grasp the sophistication in politics.

Mr. Mbewe said education was key to a clear thinking and realistic approach to national matters.

He said taking a leaf from many countries whose leaders have university degree qualifications was testimony enough that a leader with University degree was an asset for the country and those he was leading.

And Gibson Chinunka said a first degree requirement was a political tool to bar certain political leaders not to aspire for the top political position in the land.

He said the first degree was just the beginning of making the presidential position exclusively for the rich and those who had certain attainments no matter how they acquired them to victimize the less privileged.

Mr. Chinunka said eventually they would even call for qualifications from selected Universities to prevent perceived political challengers from meeting them on the same platform.

He added that University degree should not be used as a yardstick for leadership because some people were endowed with wisdom even to surpass those with degrees.

Mr. Chinunka added that first degree was nothing if the candidate was an upstart in politics because even in the real working world, those straight from University learn from those who have been on the job for some time.

ZANIS

Kalulushi Patriotic Front Aspiring Member of Parliament Kenny Siachisumo has condemned the National Constitution Conference(NCC) delegates for voting in favour of the clause which says only degree holder should be allowed to stand as presidential candidates.

Mr. Hachisumo told the Zambia News and Information Service in an interview in Lusaka today.

He said leadership is God given and that it does not take one to be a degree holder to rule the country well.

He said as far as he is concerned, Patriotic Front President Mr Michael Sata has got a degree in Political Science he obtained in London and that it is not a crime if he has not availed his degree to any one as he is going to do so at an appropriate time and to the relevant authority not anyhow because professional documents are secretive.

“You see, when you have some papers, you don’t go in the street announcing to every one that you have such papers”, said Mr Hachisumo.

He said the Patriotic Front leader Michael Chilufya Sata is going to stand as a presidential candidate in the forth coming tripartite elections scheduled for 2011.

The NCC recently adopted a clause for a degree for aspiring presidential candidate, a move that has disheartened sections of society.

ZANIS

The Forum for Progressive Politics (FPP) says former president Fredrick Chiluba has the right to support President Rupiah Banda in the 2011 general elections.

FPP Secretary General Charles Kafumbo said Dr. Chiluba, just like any other Zambian citizen, has the right to choose a candidate to support in an election.

He told ZANIS in Lusaka today that it was unfortunate that some people have decided to politicize Dr. Chiluba’s decision to rally behind Mr. Banda and support him in the 2011 elections.

Meanwhile, opposition Patriotic Front (PF) spokesperson Given Lubinda said Dr. Chiluba’s decision to support President Banda in the 2011 elections does not shake the PF-UPND pact in any way.

Mr. Lubinda said the pact would remain united and strong despite not getting support from the former president.
Recently, Dr. Chiluba resolved to support President Banda for the 2011 elections.
ZANIS

MMD aspiring Presidential candidate Ng’andu Magande has launched his 2010 MMD Presidential campaign which has been airing on Mazabuka Community radio station in Mazabuka District since Saturday.

According to Station manager, Belon Chintombwa, the campaign advertisement which has been composed in Bemba is encouraging all MMD delegates to the convention to vote for Mr Magande for MMD Presidency.

Mr. Chintombwa disclosed this to ZANIS in Mazabuka today when he announced that Management at Mazabuka Community radio station has suspended the broadcasting of political campaign advertisements for Mr Magande.

Mr Chintombwa said management decided to suspend the airing of Mr Magande’s political advertisements because the K 300,000 that Mr Magande paid through his agent for advertisement has been exhausted.

Mr Chintombwa disclosed that the political adverts for Mr Magande only ran for three days starting from last week on Saturday adding that the radio station will only resume the broadcast of Mr Magande’s campaign materials once payments are made for more slots.

Meanwhile, Some MMD members in Mazabuka are reportedly distributing the Curriculum Vitae for Mr Magande who is Chilanga MMD member of parliament to residents ahead of party convention.

ZANIS

MMD national secretary Katele Kalumba has castigated some of the ruling party’s national executive committee members who are fond of leaking confidential party information to the media.

And the ruling party has instituted investigations into the leaking of MMD NEC meeting proceedings to expose the perpetrators of the offence.

Dr Kalumba said it is unfortunate that every time the MMD holds its NEC meetings, some mischievous members distort what is discussed and later release it to the media.

He said this in an interview in Lusaka following an article which appeared in The Post newspaper yesterday.

Some source who attended the NEC meeting last week was quoted alleging that President Banda supported MMD cadres who threatened to harm Forum for Democracy and Development (FDD) president Edith Nawakwi.

But Dr Kalumba said the article is misleading and is a fabrication of what really transpired in the meeting.

He said despite the party instituting security measures during meetings, some members who are traitors have continued to sneak in devices in a bid to put the name of the party into ridicule.[quote]

“We have always put in security measures when we are having important meetings and so I am disappointed with some of our colleagues who sneak in devices such as phones to distort what is being discussed and obviously they are being paid for the information they are releasing,” he said.

Dr Kalumba said members of the ruling party are supposed to be loyal and uphold the party’s rules and regulations.

He said it is sad that members who do not have the interest of the party at heart are trying to create confusion in the MMD by leaking distorted information to some sections of the media.

Dr Kalumba said the party has instituted investigations and all those involved will soon be exposed.

He said if members do not agree on what is discussed in the meeting, they are always given chance to air their views.

Dr Kalumba said the party president, Mr Banda, who chairs NEC meetings, is accommodating and allows every member of the executive to speak out on the various issues discussed.

He said it is hypocritical for traitors to rush to the press to distort NEC proceedings.

“It is very un-trustworthy of these people to go out and disclose internal matters when they are always given a chance to air their views. But obviously they are afraid to do this, hence they opt to rush to the press.

“I will get to the bottom of this issue and I’m sure the President wants to see the people who are doing this to be exposed because what they are doing is not good for the party,” he said.

Dr Kalumba warned that he will discipline members who will be found wanting.

[Zambia Daily Mail]